Building Reykjavík Together

Can I vote?

If one of the following applies to you, you can vote in the coming municipal elections on the 26th of May 2018:

Nordic nationals 18 and older have the right to vote after three consecutive years of legal residence. For the elections on May 26th, this means that you must have been a resident since before May 26th, 2015.

All other foreign nationals 18 and older have the right to vote after five consecutive years of legal residence. For the elections of May 26th, this means that you must have been a resident since before May 26th 2013.

Why should I vote?

Maybe you are asking yourself, why bother voting? What does it really matter to me? Well, it matters a lot. In a small society like Iceland, every single vote counts, so much more than in other countries. Moreover, municipal elections are about what really matters to most of us. Your vote will have an impact on deciding who will be running the city and making the decisions that will affect the lives of all of us. Local elections are directly connected to the schools our children go to, housing for us and our families, public transport, social welfare and so on. These are the things we cast our vote for on May 26th!

Why should I vote for Samfylkingin?

Samfylkingin is what most of us know as Social Democrats. Immigrant issues are really what the core of Social Democracy is all about: equal opportunities for each and every one in our society. At Samfylkingin, we believe in social fairness: providing quality education not just for the rich, making sure housing is affordable for all, improving public transport, ensuring there is the same pay for the same job regardless of gender and nationality, and most importantly, building Reykjavík together. This is your home, too!

At Samfylkingin we embrace diversity, we believe that diversity make us stronger and better. But we also believe in what unites us, we care for our families and social justice. We will make sure all voices are heard in building a fair society through intercultural dialogue and understanding.

Efficiency in Transportation

We wish to build a more modern, ecofriendly and better city by increasing efficiency in transportation, shorten residents’ commutes and reduce pollution. This increases everyone’s quality of life. To do this, we want to take a mixed approach to transport and it is important to continue to employ various solutions.

Over this last term we have increased the number of busses serving the main bus lines, added more priority lanes and lights for Strætó, and implemented late-night bus services. In the next four-year term, our goal is to continue taking big steps towards a more modern city with a more efficient transport system.

We want to speed up the initiation of the construction of Borgarlína (City Transport), and the Miklabraut tunnel bypass.

Borgarlína Now!

Let’s finish the financing contracts for this project this year.

Let’s begin construction in 2019.

Let’s use the city’s solid economic position to speed up the first part of the project.

Reconstruct Miklabraut into a tunnel bypass

Let’s change Miklabraut into a bypass tunnel at the same time as the first phase of Borgarlína is constructed.

Let’s have quiet, mixed traffic on the surface; Borgarlína, cars, pedestrians and cyclists.

Practical Housing Options

Reykjavik is the only municipality which has increased the number of social and affordable housing opportunities and we firmly believe an increased offer of available housing and our restrictions of the AirBnB market will relieve the pressure on the rental market.

We want to build an engaging and vibrant city for all. For that to happen we must ensure secure housing options for everyone and continue to offer diverse housing options, suited to everyone’s needs.

We are currently implementing the largest housebuilding programme in the history of the city, and in 2017 Reykjavík saw the greatest annual population growth in the last 30 years. The last three years have been record-breaking for building permits and there have never been as many apartments under construction in a single term.

We said at the beginning of the term that within five years we would enable the construction of 2500-3000 new rental and non-profit apartments available in the city. We have fulfilled that promise. Plans have been set in motion to begin cooperation with non-profit rental associations for 4000 new apartments. During next term we are going to continue our rapid construction in all parts of the city with a focus on accessible housing at a reasonable price, student apartments, housing for senior citizens, the return of the „workers’ housing“ system, and a special focus on affordable housing for young people and first-time buyers.

Young people and first-time buyers

We will build affordable housing for young people and first-time buyers in Gufunes, Úlfarsársdalur, Bryggjuhverfi, Skerjafjörður, Veðurstofuhæð, and at the area by Stýrimannaskólinn.

We will support innovative entries into the housing market to meet demand for affordable housing.

First stage plans include 500 apartments for young people and first-time buyers, and 500 more as the term progresses.

Preschool for 12 to 18 months old children

We want to live in a city that is outstanding for children and their families. In order for that to happen we must continue the reconstruction of the preschool system and bridge the gap between parental-leave and preschool.

Preschools in Reykjavík are of the highest standard, and 96% of parents are pleased with their preschool in the city. Former Social Democratic alliances built the current system as we know it from ’94 to ’06. Now it is time to continue what they started by offering 12 to 18 months old children a spot in the preschools.

The current coalition has been successful in solving staffing issues and is now working on a careful plan about what to do, how and when, in order to reach this goal. We can do this over the next term.

Further Progressing the Preschool System

Let’s build 5 to 6 new preschools and create 750 to 800 vacancies over the term.

Let’s open 7 new preschool departments this fall for toddlers all around the city, to ensure that all 16-month-old toddlers will be able to attend preschool.

Let’s add 6 new preschool departments this fall in the areas with the highest demand for preschool.

Let’s strengthen the current system of „daycare-parents“ and make it a safer option for the parents of the youngest children.

Let’s offer toddlers, age 12-18 months old, a space in the preschool .

More Preschool Teachers

We will continue to improve the salary of preschool teachers and their working environment.

Add 35 to 40 new employees into the cities’ preschools each year in addition to the over 100 already hired since August 2017.

Increase the flexibility and possibilities of independent actions for preschool teachers, emphasize the opportunities for all staff members to increase their levels of education and job skills while also shortening the working week without decreasing salaries.

A City for All

We want to live in a city where everyone can thrive. Therefore, we must ensure equal opportunities for all so that no-one is left behind. That is why issues of equality and women’s rights will remain the core of our policies.

We have already increased funding for welfare, increased social housing and strengthened our human rights office while following through on a dedicated mission against violence in all its forms. In the next term we will continue this work and further support those at the margins of our society.

We specifically focus on equalizing the chances of young people and children to develop their abilities with leisure activities and art studies outside the formal educational system. We want to continue supporting school bands, open practice areas in local neighborhoods, try out a system of children’s neighborhood choirs, and ensure the youngest children can try out different sports free of charge

Mental Health in a Changing Society

We will address the current needs of the general public by focusing on mental health, and general wellbeing – especially for young people.

Increase levels of psychiatric care in the city’s primary schools.

Better address the needs of people struggling with addiction.

Increase the number of mental health care clinics like the one already opened during this term in Breiðholt and support NGOs in this area.

Health Promotion, Ability and Equal Opportunity for All

Ensure that all children and youth get to know and practice any art, sports or youth related studies or activities regardless of economic status.

Work towards health promotion and against social isolation and loneliness among senior citizens.

Develop the current community centers into community centers for all ages where all citizens may benefit from them.

Solidify the current cultural and health card system for senior citizens.

Continue to support and strengthen education on LGBT+ issues for students and staff in schools.

Empower people with disabilities and continue to improve their access.

Supporting Children with Icelandic as a Second Language

We support an intercultural society and focus specifically on increasing the participation and opportunities for people with Icelandic as a second language.

Our Action Plan for children with Icelandic as a second language:

In the past 4 years, we have doubled our contribution to Icelandic teaching for children with Icelandic as a second language. We will continue on that path.

We have already hired Bridge Builders as a pilot project and are committed to expanding this idea in order to support both children with Icelandic as a second language and their parents.

We will increase our cooperation with the Mother Tongue Association Móðurmál and make sure that all mother tongue teaching on their behalf will be free of charge. They will focus on children up to 12 years, then more support through the school system will take over, expanding the work of the Language Lab (Tungumálaver).

Improve cooperation between homes and schools, providing useful information and teamwork between school professionals and parents of foreign origin.

Increase funding to preschools, primary schools and after school programmes with high percentages of children with Icelandic as a second language.

Encourage school staff with Icelandic as a second language to further their own education and careers in the school system.

Increase participation of children with Icelandic as a second language in after school programmes, leisure activities and youth democracy

Reykjavík is for All of Us!

We have listened to the voices of MeToo, we will focus on empowering women of foreign origin and supporting them. We need to make sure they have access to all available resources, such as Bjarkarhlíð and the Women’s Shelter. Most of all, we need to make sure that their voices are heard and provide them with the opportunity to build a new life, free from violence.

We will follow up on our action plan to end gender violence.

Ensure participation of immigrants in society by providing information and safeguarding of rights.

Start cooperation with the State on providing a joint One-stop-shop for immigrants. Most immigrants don’t really differentiate which issues are a question of state or municipal responsibility. We already have set an example with Bjarkarhlíð, the multi-institutional centre for victims of violence, where both the city, a number of ministries and other institutions work together in providing the best service. We believe that this can work for immigrants, too.

Improve access to Icelandic teaching for city staff with Icelandic as a second language.

Implement a policy on interpretation and translations, making sure everyone gets the information they need, improve project management with regards to translations and hire translators for English and Polish to provide information.

Revise our staff policy and combat the wage gap that exists for staff with other nationalities, just as we have successfully abolished the gender wage gap.

Thanks to the volunteers who translated from Icelandic into English: Hilmar Bjarni Hilmarsson and Jón Grétar Þórsson. Proofread by Matthew Deaves. Edited by Sabine Leskopf.